A misty atmospheric scene has become a signature for Tom Jone’s watercolor painting style.

Tom’s deep love of nature can be seen and felt when viewing his thoughtful paintings. A popular watercolor workshop instructor, Tom believes in ‘letting the atmosphere speak for you’ when beginning a painting.

Tom’s watercolor painting begins with a concept, and a poetic heart. He feels his subject, the beauty of nature in its imperfection. Tom believes a successful watercolor painting awakens all of the senses. It allows you to walk into the painting, feel the mist on your face and smell its lovely fragrance. You can feel its warmth and chill on your skin. You can hear the softness of the breeze and the birds and animals, and you can also hear its silence.  No other subject offers this.

Create a Misty Atmospheric Scene in Watercolor by Tom Jones:

    1. With a very light value of Ultra Marine Blue and a touch of Hooker Green Deep gently lay in some color for the sky. Make sure to show both soft and hard edges in the cloud area. This makes the sky more interesting and entertaining for the viewer.
    2. Immediately mix a darker value of the same colors and lay in the distant ridge line again creating both soft and hard edges to the ridge line to show lost and found. At the same time use a tissue and a small spray bottle with clean water to create the softer edge at the bottom of the mountain to give the look of mist in the mountain.
  1. Repeat step 2 again to create the closer ridge line with a more distinct look and note how I suggested some look of tree tops on the mountain.
  2. Use a clean tissue and water spray bottle to soften at the bottom of the mountain to continue with the misty look.
  3. Next, dry your painting completely.
  4. At this time paint the buildings on the right. Notice how I leave a large amount of white paper showing mostly on the roofs of the buildings. Use a lemon-yellow mingling with permanent red for the large barn and adjoining building and the one chimney that’s showing. The roofs of three of the buildings gets a very light value of Cerulean blue leaving white paper as mentioned. The windows and shadows are a mixture of a darker value of Ultra Marine Blue and Burnt Sienna.
  5. Again, dry the area completely.
  6. Next mix several different colors in your watercolor palette. These colors include Hooker Green Deep with some Ultra Marine Blue and Hooker Green Deep and a touch of Cerulean Blue. Lay in the distant area of trees on the left side of the road and use a tissue to lighten. Continue painting the evergreen tree area on the left getting a little darker as you come forward in the painting.
  7. Repeat this process on the right but note how the tree area is a little darker behind the buildings to show a stronger contrast between the lighter buildings and the trees.
  8. Dry the painting completely.
  9. Next lay in the colors for the grass areas. For this use Lemon Yellow, Burnt Sienna and Hooker Green. Around the barn put a little Permanent Red in the grass area then as you come forward with the other colors using a scrubbing effect with your brush the create a look of texture in the grass. Repeat the same process on the left grass area of the painting. (notice the variety of color in the grass areas.) This again gives the painting a more interesting and entertaining look for the viewer.
  10. The road leads you beautifully into the distance with this scene. Use a very light value of Ultra Marine Blue and a touch of Hooker Green for the distant road. The forward area gets the same treatment but by using a darker value of the same colors.
  11. The power poles and the large trees on the left are painted using Ultra Marine Blue, Hooker Green, and Burnt Sienna. Notice that this is a mixture of a very dark value to bring the large trees and power poles forward in the painting. Dry completely.
  12. Make separate puddles of Lemon Yellow, Orange and Brunt Sienna, alternate these three colors to create a look of Autumn leaves on the large trees at the left of the painting. Notice how you should place Autumn leaves on the ground under the trees and along the edge of the road on the left.
  13. Use a lead pencil to put the power lines in. Pencil and watercolor are compatible and acceptable in any watercolor painting. Using a Number Two B pencil to make your job easier and if you make a mistake you can simply erase and do it again.
  14. Put a few birds in your painting at the top left. Nature is beautiful. It is where I find inspiration. It is where I find creativity. It is where I find peace. It is where I find my inner self.


Author/Artist: Tom Jones is a resident of Central Florida. His art can be found internationally in many private and corporate collections, including commissioned paintings displayed in the Florida State Capital Building, Walt Disney World Corporation, Marriott Corporation, Omni Corporation, and Museums.

Tom’s artworks and watercolor painting techniques has been featured in many books and on magazine covers as well as posters and brochures.Tom shares his passion for art and love of nature with students of varying skill levels through international workshops, demonstrations, and instructional DVDs.

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